1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a direct delivery applicator assembly, and method of using same, for delivery of a solution onto an animal's coat; and more particularly, to an applicator having a plurality of prong members with channels therein for delivery of a solution to an animal's skin wherein the applicator is appointed to receive and removably house a separate cartridge/vessel containing a flea, tick and/or other insect repellant or medicament solution.
2. Description of the Prior Art
When applying active solutions, such as flea, tick and/or other insect repellants or medicaments, to an animal's coat pet groomers and pet owners have avoided contact between their skin and the active solution. Many medicaments or flea, tick and insect repellant solutions offered on the market today are presented in containers or solution packets wherein, in use, the tip is broken off to expose an aperture that is placed in contact with the animal's skin at the roots of local fur follicles and poured/squeezed thereon. Often, it can be difficult to place the packet's aperture directly into the interstices of the fur as the animal tends to become nervous and squirms around. In such cases, the solution can become misplaced onto the animal's coat, causing inaccurate dispersion of the medicament or solution, as well as unwanted contact to the owner/groomer and even other pets.
Many applicators heretofore disclosed and utilized fail to yield an applicator that is adapted to receive a separate solution packet and directly deliver the solution to the skin of the animal's coat in proximity to the local fur roots. As a result, applicators heretofore disclosed cannot be readily utilized to deliver a solution packet to an animal's coat.
The majority of applicators provide a vessel appointed to house a solution therein, which is then delivered through a dispenser. For example: U.S. Pat. No. 4,183,328 to Lawrence discloses a dispenser applicator and flexible walled container assembly for applying liquid compositions to the skin of pet animals. An applicator is molded in the configuration of the kind of pet animal to be treated having hollow legs resembling the pet animal's legs forming coarse combing members to spread the animal's hair into furrows; U.S. Pat. No. 5,911,196 to Simmons, et al. discloses a portable self-medicating applicator device having a liquid container from which pesticide or other medicament can flow to an absorbent material at the periphery of the device such that animals which come in contact with the device have the liquid transferred to them; and U.S. Pat. No. 7,192,212 to Gutberlet, et al. discloses an application device for applying a liquid, gel-like or pasty cosmetic to the skin, comprising a container for the cosmetic, an applicator which is connected to the container via at least one supply channel, and a piston for delivery of the cosmetic towards the applicator. These devices do not provide optimal delivery at the follicle of the furs; rather application is directly on the surface of the fur or, at best on furrows of the fur. Moreover, these devices do not provide an applicator that is appointed for housing a separate, disposable solution packet or cartridge with a solution therein.
Other applicators generally provide a brush-like applicator wherein a portion of the applicator, usually the handle, houses a solution that is delivered to an applicator segment for delivery onto an animal's coat/person's hair. These applicators cannot be utilized in conjunction with delivering a separate, disposable solution packet to an animal's coat. For example: U.S. Pat. No. 4,213,423 to Bryan, et al. discloses a powder dispensing brush comprising a hollow elongate handle for receiving a medicated powder or flea control powder therein, and an applicator segment having a plurality of conical projections provided with a central vertical port through which powder is dispensed onto the fur of an animal; U.S. Pat. No. 4,958,596 to Belan discloses a pet grooming kit comprising an array of treatment liquids stored in flexible containers and a liquid applicator generally in the form of a brush adapted to be threadably connected to the flexible containers, the applicator being structured to receive liquid from the containers and disburse the liquid from the ends of bristles during brushing of an animal's coat; U.S. Pat. No. 7,000,618 to Dovergne, et al. discloses a device for applying a substance to the hair, comprising an applicator portion and a receptacle on which the applicator portion is fixed, the applicator portion having at least one delivery orifice and teeth arranged around a closed curve, the gaps between the teeth being such that they allow hairs to pass between the teeth while enabling the substance to be retained within the curve; and U.S. Pat. No. 5,183,006 to Robinson discloses a disposable applicator for dispensing liquid formulations to the undercoat and skin of animals, involving a substantially hermetically sealed applicator that dispenses liquid formulations to the coat and skin of the animal through a single row of applicator prongs adapted to comfortably move through the animal's coat and along the skin controlled by the pressure from the user's hand; once the liquid formulation is dispensed, the applicator is discarded. None of these applicator devices provide an applicator that is appointed for receiving and housing a separate, pre-existing solution packet or cartridge therein to provide optimal delivery of the solution to an animal's coat with accuracy and minimal contact on the groomer's/owner's skin during application.
There remains a need in the art for an easy-to-use applicator that delivers one or more active ingredients, such as flea, tick, or insect repellant to an animal's skin local to the roots of hair and/fur therein. Also needed is a direct delivery applicator that is appointed to removably receive a cartridge or solution packet therein for accurate and clean delivery onto the animal's skin and interstices of the fur. It would further be desirable if the direct delivery applicator included at least one prong having an inner channel and prong aperture therein, wherein the prong is constructed having an appropriate length so that the prong's aperture substantially contacts the animal's skin beneath the fur so the active ingredients is directly delivered onto the animal's skin for a clean application and accurate dispersion of the medicament or active ingredients onto the animal.